Question Number: 19308

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/9/2008

RE: Pro Professional

Stephen Smith of Toronto, Canada asks...

True or False?

The referee blows the whistle for the opening kick-off, but instead of kicking the ball, the red attacker runs across the center circle and violently strikes a blue opponent who does not retaliate. The referee quickly intervenes and sends off the red attacker. As a result the red team must play shorthanded for the entire game.

Similarly what if something happens during half-time requiring a red card? must a team play a man down?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

A bit weird, isn't it? You'd think that after the whistle blew, a player could be sent off and not replaced. But here, since the ball is not in play yet, the red team gets a pass and a replacement, if they have one. A player who gets sent off during the half time interval will cause his team to play without him or his position in the second half. This is sometimes hard on referees when they are doing youth no limited subs games if they don't know who was a player at the end of the half. It doesn't mean the answer is any different, only that identifying whether the miscreant was a player or not at the end of the first half is critical to the number of players who return after halftime.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

If the ball was not kicked into play and a player to be was guilty of violent conduct, then the team with the guilty person would be allowed to bring an 11th player onto the park, but the team may not add another substitute to the roster.

Of course the referee might like to consult the person who was punched to see if they want to call the cops to the field. I would also strongly consider not playing that match on that day IF that was the way things started out... what would you be getting yourself into?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Technically the match has not started until the ball is kicked and moves. Ergo, the player sent-off for violent conduct may be replaced by a named substitute. The list of substitutes will be reduced in number. I'll bet the referee would be able to sell not replacing the player.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

That would be false. The game has not started as the ball was never put into play. Consequently, while it's true the player is sent off, Red does not have to play a man down and any named substitute may take his place. The team now has one fewer named substitute which could be important if playing by FIFA rules. Did this actually happen? If this happened during half time, the referee would have to know if the culprit was a player at the end of the half or a substitute. At youth level soccer this is all but impossible. If it was a player that was on the field when the first half ended, then the team would play a man down. If a substitute, they would not but their number of substitutes would be reduced.

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